Whiskey Lullaby
by Mystic Child
Summary: ONE SHOT. Based on the song by Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss. Hermione and Ron haven't talked after the war. Their pain is too great for either of them to handle. What will they do?


Whiskey Lullaby

Based on the song by Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss

Story by Rachel Thompson

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters. I am creating this story just for fun and I have no intention of using it to make money.

Ron sat quietly inside the Three Broomsticks. Right now he was in his early twenties but his hair was still as bright as ever. His eyes though, reflected nightmares that had happened during his last year at Hogwarts. Finally him and Hermione had gotten together. They had also made a secret vow to get married after the war. That never happened though. He had heard the reasons why she no longer wanted to be with him but knew that there was more. Something that she hadn't told him, and something that she never would.

"I want another shot of Fire Whiskey," Ron called to the bartender. The short, plump witch walked over to Ron and took away his glass.

"You've had enough son," the woman said. "You need to go home."  
Ron didn't want to leave but he had no choice. Since he had left Hogwarts, everyday he had come to this bar, just to take away the pain of Hermione. No matter how drunk he got, the memories of her never seemed to fade away.

Ron walked across the street to a small apartment building where he had been staying for the past few months. His mom had always wanted him to move back in with her, but Ron refused. He had too many childhood memories hidden in that house. Memories that included Hermione.

As he turned the key to his apartment, he had already made up his mind. He walked over to his dresser, and reached back into the bottom drawer. He took out a wand that he had hid for years. Slowly he walked over to the nearby table and wrote a quick note on a small piece of parchment. He went over to his bed and without hesitating, said the killing curse.

Three years later. . . . .

Hermione looked around the room. She sat in a small bar, staring at the people surrounding her. Some of the people were chatting to the person close to them. Others were just sitting there, but no one looked as sad as she did. Tears began streaming down her face, just like they did every night she came in here. She could still remember that day very clearly. It was around three years ago. After the war, Hermione had left behind the magical world completely. It pained her too much to think about the war. About the deaths that she witnessed. First she saw Ginny fall. Her body was covered in blood and all she could see was red. Then there was Harry. He did defeat Voldemort but it killed him too. Ron was the only person that she was close to that was left. She didn't want him to hurt so she left him. She went back to how she had been before her Hogwarts letter had arrived. She went to school and became a crime scene investigator. A job that challenged her intellect and kept her far from magic. While she was at work one night there was a strange call. A person said that there had been a blast in the apartment above her. Hermione rushed over to see Ron lying on his bed, covered in blood, holding a wand in one hand. She couldn't believe her eyes but she continued forward. A small note was laid on the table.

"I'll love her 'til the day I die," Hermione read out loud. It only took a few seconds to realize that he was talking about her. She had never fell in love with anyone else. She secretly knew, down in her heart, that Ron was her only one, and that she had lost him. She hadn't went to his funeral but had visited his grave once. He was buried under a beautiful willow tree, that seemed to sway gently in the wind, as if saying hello. Then it had started to rain. Ron was crying.

Ever since she had read that note, she had went to this bar, every night, trying to drink him away. It never worked though, and Hermione knew she only had one choice left. If it wasn't for her, Ron would still be alive.

Throwing down enough money to pay for the drinks, she quickly left the bar. She walked across the street to the small house that she lived in. The gun lay exactly where it should have been. It was sprawled across her dresser, awaiting the next day, to be put safe inside her uniform. There wasn't going to be a next day though. She reached into her top drawer and took out a picture of Ron waving at her. It was taken the same day that they had decided to get married. Tears streamed past her vision as she grabbed the gun and walked over to her bed. She clutched tight to the photo, knowing of the pain that would be coming. Quickly she pulled the trigger. After the first wave of pain, she was free.

Hermione's casket slowly lowered itself into the ground. Standing tall over her grave was a tall willow tree, the same tree that Ron was buried under. Rain began gently falling on the people watching the grave. They could almost hear a soft voice, singing a song far away. No one knew what it was and no one could explain the strange song that had also been present at Ron's funeral. They just knew that up in heaven, Hermione and Ron were together at last.


End file.
